Death penalty review promised

Good for state Sen. Thomas "Tim" Owens, R-Overland Park, for his stated commitment to give a proposed repeal of Kansas' unused death penalty more than a cursory glance in the legislative session that starts in January. "We are going to have a complete and thorough discussion of death penalty abolition," said Owens, who chairs the Senate Judiciary Committee. Since Kansas reinstated capital punishment in 1994, nine men have taken up residence on death row but no execution dates are in sight. Meanwhile, according to a 2003 study, capital cases are costing Kansas 70 percent more than noncapital cases.

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